Little Lion Man

And to continue on a theme that has come up in a few varied contexts recently...

I seem to have met a number of guys who, as they get older, express some sort of "poetic regret" over the way they screwed up a situation with a girl. The situations were of varying degrees of severity, but always resulted in his slinking away as the girl refused to talk to or see him again.

I tell them, It is never to late to make things right; it just gets exponentially harder as time goes by. And they sigh and shake their heads, with the sense that there is nothing they could do to change the situation; they admit their mistake and her mind is made up. Which really means, for these men-children, that it is not worth the effort it would take for them to try. And so they hold on to their tragic regret thinking it gives them a fuller story, but which, in reality, merely indicates their inability, or just plain laziness, to step up, grow up - "man up."

In movies, in contrast, the romantic plot often revolves around - and the resolution often relies on - the guy who goes to all ends to demonstrate his apology to the woman he has wronged, and in this way he proves his love for and commitment to her. (Ah, Hollywood, you tease us so with your "reality"... ;-( )

While these situations create timeless plots in movies and tragic sentimentality in men-children, it can also produce great music in artists. Which, I suppose, in artists may just be the productive result of their regret.

Take Mumford & Sons' Little Lion Man. This song has captured its listeners, and there is much discussion of what the song means, exactly. Who is he talking to? What is the symbolism?

In regards to the song, Marcus Mumford in an interview said:
“It’s a very personal story, so I won’t elaborate upon too much. Suffice to say, it was a situation in my life I wasn’t very happy with or proud of… and sometimes when you can’t describe a feeling with your own words, it’s almost easier to express in a song."

Viewed as a rant to himself over some past drama, the song clicks into place. His anger towards the "little lion man" expresses a scorn for his misplaced pride and his false front of bravery in dealing poorly with a situation that he, well... regrets.

Boys! Be worthy of the women in your life! It is not that hard. Ask your sisters, your female friends, your mother even, for help. Step up! It will be better - and more fun in the long run - for all involved.

Little Lion Man lyrics